or


[08/03/11 - 10:33 AM]
Tassler: Meet Walden Schmidt, Ashton Kutcher's "Two and a Half Men" Character
By Brian Ford Sullivan (TFC)

LOS ANGELES (thefutoncritic.com) -- "Oh where do I begin," CBS Entertainment President Nina Tassler said about the lessons learned from the Charlie Sheen situation on "Two and a Half Men." Tassler was on hand for the network's executive session at the TCA Summer Press Tour, where talk of Sheen and Ashton Kutcher not surprisingly dominated the conversation.

"There is great value in hiring an actor like Ashton Kutcher," she continued with regards to the aforementioned lessons. "He is [an] extraordinarily professional, talented, funny, gifted actor who comes with a tremendous amount of commitment and enthusiasm."

As for specifics about Kutcher's character, Tassler announced his name is Walden Schmidt. "He is a internet billionaire with a broken heart," she added, noting he won't be related to any of the current cast. "He is a unique character."

Tassler also said the season premiere "will be a two-parter over two weeks" and that the show will be "as irreverent as it has always been. Our program practices people are already on high alert."

She however wouldn't confirm or deny that Sheen's character is killed off on the show. "As we said in the whole marketing plan, all will be revealed on [September 19]. The mystery is a part of the marketing. It's going to be a big event."

As for other topics:

-- Tassler revealed Terry O'Quinn's arc on "Hawaii Five-0" will be six episodes. He plays a Navy Seal Lt. Commander who trained McGarrett (Alex O'Loughlin) in Coronado, and served with his father in Vietnam.

-- On how NFL overruns in parts of the country will affect "The Good Wife" in its new Sunday home: "The show will start maybe a little bit later but we have plans certainly in place to accommodate the show when there are overruns [and] for the whole night in general."

-- "We see Saturday night as an opportunity," Tassler says about "Rules of Engagement's" new Saturday time period. "Advertisers like comedies. It's a terrific show. We see this as an opportunity for us."

-- Tassler said they may do another "Jesse Stone" movie but beyond that there are no plans for any more TV movies or mini-series. "The schedule right now is very strong. We just didn't have enough room for them."

-- On the casting of Ted Danson in "CSI": "He's a huge TV star. He's got a tremendous amount of charisma. And it was really what we wanted in the show right now. When his name came up we jumped at it, we were thrilled to have him." When pressed if they considered going younger, Tassler affirmed that "we went for the best actor."

-- "I just don't think it founds its rhythm," Tassler said about the failure of "Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior." "It didn't click."

-- "First I think they should stick to comedy and check their stats a little better," Tassler said with regards to CBS being the frequent butt of comedians' jokes about skewing old. "Because we still have more 18-49 [viewers] than NBC and ABC so maybe they stay with comedy and not worry about demos and ratings so much."

-- As for its midseason plans, Tassler simply affirmed they have "The 2-2," "Undercover Boss" and are shooting a new pilot for "Rob," its Rob Schneider comedy.

-- "We are still actively looking for what is going to be new and different in the performance, competition, elimination, unscripted reality show," Tassler said with regards to CBS not having its own take on the genre. "We have a couple of things in development."

-- "There are no updates beyond 2012," Tassler said about the network's late-night lineup of David Letterman and Craig Ferguson.





  [august 2011]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
 


· CRIMINAL MINDS: SUSPECT BEHAVIOR (CBS)
· CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION (CBS)
· GOOD WIFE, THE (CBS)
· HAWAII FIVE-0 (CBS)
· NYC 22 (CBS)
· ROB (CBS)
· RULES OF ENGAGEMENT (CBS)
· TWO AND A HALF MEN (CBS)
· UNDERCOVER BOSS (CBS)





[05/07/26 - 07:01 AM]
NBC Sports' 2026 Notre Dame Football Schedule Headlined by Primetime Games Against Wisconsin at Lambeau Field, Miami, Michigan State, and SMU
Notre Dame opens its season with its 2026 Shamrock Series game against Wisconsin on Sunday, September 6, at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock from Lambeau Field, home of the Green Bay Packers.

[05/07/26 - 06:31 AM]
Video: "Survival of the Thickest" The Final Season - Official Teaser - Netflix
She's going out in style. The final season premieres July 2, only on Netflix.

[05/07/26 - 06:31 AM]
Video: "Alice and Steve" - Official Trailer - Hulu
Best friends. Bad decisions. Meet Alice and Steve.

[05/07/26 - 06:02 AM]
Video: "I Will Find You" - Official Teaser - Netflix
An innocent father serving life for the murder of his own son receives evidence that his child may still be alive - and must break out of prison to find out the truth.

[05/07/26 - 06:01 AM]
Netflix to Bring First Looks at "Charlie vs. The Chocolate Factory" Film, Upcoming Anime Slate Including "The One Piece", and Jason Reitman & Gil Kenan for "Ghostbusters" Series to Annecy Festival
Netflix returns to the Annecy International Animation Film Festival with a genre-spanning line-up of films and series featuring visionary filmmakers, as well as up-and-coming talent.

[05/07/26 - 06:01 AM]
Video: Fear Takes Hold in New Trailer for Apple TV's Psychological Thriller "Cape Fear"
Fear will take hold this summer when the 10-episode limited series makes its global debut on Friday, June 5, 2026 with the first two episodes, followed by new episodes every Friday through July 31, 2026 on Apple TV.

[05/07/26 - 02:01 AM]
Video: "Untold UK: Jamie Vardy" - Official Trailer - Netflix
From part-time footballer to Premier League legend, this is the story of Jamie Vardy's unprecedented path and his rise to the top against all odds.

[05/07/26 - 01:55 AM]
Video: "Kartavya" - Official Trailer - Netflix
With his family's safety at stake and menacing threats closing in, a police officer must decide how far he'll go to uphold his duty.

[05/06/26 - 08:33 PM]
Shane Gillis' "Tires" Races Back to Netflix with Season 3 on August 13, 2026
Shane Gillis, John McKeever and Steve Gerben broke the news live during the "Netflix Is a Joke Fest Presents: Bill Simmons with the Creators of Tires" event at The Wiltern.

[05/06/26 - 05:01 PM]
Video: "Teach You a Lesson" - Official Teaser - Netflix
When respect collapses in schools, unconventional inspectors arrive to set things right - with sharp, no-nonsense lessons you won't find in textbooks.

[05/06/26 - 02:01 PM]
FOX Hits the Road with Return of Beloved Global Sensation "Highway to Heaven"
Slated to debut during the 2027-28 season, the series will introduce longtime fans and a new generation to the franchise's timeless themes of compassion, humanity, and second chances.

[05/06/26 - 01:31 PM]
Apple TV Lands "Disavowed," New Action Thriller Starring and Executive Produced by James Marsden
Marsden will play legendary CIA Case Officer Brad Griffin, who is abruptly fired in the middle of a global hunt for an elusive assassin responsible for killing his colleague.

[05/06/26 - 12:02 PM]
Oscar Isaac Is Hitting the Casino in Martin Scorsese's New Vegas Series
The Netflix series hails from showrunners/executive producers/writers Brian Koppelman and David Levien, who are no strangers to the world of gambling.

[05/06/26 - 11:34 AM]
FOX Sports, Big Machine Racing Productions and Chassy Media Announce "Bobby Rahal: True American Racer" Premiering May 8 on FS1
The compelling new documentary celebrates the life and legacy of Bobby Rahal, one of American motorsports' most legendary champions.

[05/06/26 - 11:26 AM]
Video: Official Trailer for New Animated Fantasy Series "Dragon Striker" Revealed
Blending European fantasy with Japanese animation influences, the series follows an underdog hero's journey, brought to life through high-stakes battles, visually stunning action and expansive mythology.